Improvement in water-wheels



H. PLATT.

WATER-WHEEL.

No.179,727. Patented J'u1y11. 1876.

lnven/iar.

NFETERS, PHQTWLITNOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. DEC

, position, by means of the the wheel-shaft.

UNI ED STATES PATENT FFG.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,727, dated July 11, 1876; application filed March 3, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM PLATT, of New Brighton, county of Beaver, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a Water-Wheel, of which the following is a specification:

The object in view is to construct awaterwheel in which the economy of water, great speed of wheelshat't, horizontal position of the wheel shaft, combination in pairs of wheels, avoidance of friction, access to wheels in case of obstructions, cheapness and simplicity of construction, are all prominent features.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing the iron center A, gates at m, chute-openings 0 0 o,'casings U C, and bearings 1) HD H combined. Fig. 2is an end elevation, show ing the construction of the bearing 1) H. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section vertically through Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of Fig. 1 at S S, showing a plan of the wheel, buckets, chutes, and gate, and mode of opening the gate.

A is an iron center, cored horizontally to receive a wheel at each end, and cored vertically, the lower end to receive the top end of the flume from the tail-water, and the upper end to rcceivea lid, B, to give access to the wheels. 0 C are the casings and chutes combined, that surround the wheel, and are bolted s. curely to each end of the center A. The casings also form the upper halves of the bearings D D for the wheel-shaft, and sustain in stirrups G G, loose brass halt bearings H H for the support of I l are the wheels, having wrought iron or steel buckets K K cast into a hub at one end and a ring at the other. The shape of said buckets is made-with particular reference to the weight of the water resting on a graduated convex incline, onetifth only of their radial depth, as at a a, Fig. 4, being a concave surface for the reception of the water from the chutes, the balance bein g a graduated convex surface or true incline from the points a a to the inside extremity 3 y, thereby conforming to the fall or flow of the water toward the center of the wheel as it revolves. m m are cylinder-gates, with wings or lips n n extending into the wheels through the chuteopenings 0 0 0 in the casing, and forming one side of the chutes, giving a wedge shape to the chute at all times when the gate is open for the admission of water; also serving to contract the chute-openings when only a part gate is used, thereby giving a more effective delivery of the water to the buckets of the wheel.

The wheels I l are rights and lefts; also, the chutes in the casings O O are made to come spond.

I claim as my in vention- 1. The combination, in a water-wheel, of a solid iron center, A, cored horizontally to receive a wheel at each end, and vertically, the lower end to receive the top end of the flume, the upper end to receive a lid, B, to give access to the wheels, casings U (1, chutes 0 0 0, and hearing I), constructed substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

2. A wheel, having wrought iron or steel buckets, as shown at a (011/ 9 Fig. 4, having one-fifth only of their radial deptlfa concave surface, the balance being a graduated convex surface or true incline from the points a, a. to their inside extren'iity 3 y.

' 3. A cylinder-gate, having wings or lips, as shown at 72 n,,Fig. 4, extending into the wheel through the'chute-o 'ienings 0 o 0 in the easing. I 4. Thecombiin tion ot'two tangential wheels on the same shaft, receiving the water on the face of their peripheries, and discharging it toward each other into the iron center A.

HIRAM PLATT. Witnesses:

THOMAS JACKSON, J. M. ORI'ronLoW. 

